I have to get lucky right away.

Chapter 655 No banquet is ever truly good, except for skill demonstrations.
The convoy entered the grand gates of the city lord's mansion, passed through meticulously manicured courtyards, and finally stopped before a brightly lit palace. Compared to the apathetic inhabitants and desolate streets outside the city, this seemed like another world. It was resplendent in gold, teeming with servants, and filled with the aroma of expensive spices and food—a scene of unparalleled luxury.

The captain of the guard led the two through a long, ornately carpeted corridor to a huge, carved wooden door inlaid with jewels and ivory.

"The city lord is waiting for you two inside," the captain of the guards said, bowing, and then pushed open the door.

Inside the door was an extremely spacious banquet hall. The long dining table was filled with all kinds of sumptuous food—golden roasted whole lamb, piles of spiced rice, and specialty dishes from different regions. Even Chen Xuan, a graduate of Dongda University, was dazzled by the sight.

At the head of the table sat the city lord, who looked to be only in his early thirties with a ruddy complexion but a hint of age in his demeanor. Beside him nestled a breathtakingly beautiful woman whose appearance almost perfectly matched all of humanity's imagination of "beauty." Her eyes held a captivating allure, but when Feng Xue used her Qi-gazing technique, all she saw was a ball of wish power.

"Interesting. It has no spiritual aura, nor does it possess the characteristics of a illusory god. It is purely the power of will that has achieved such a lifelike appearance. The abilities of this land are quite remarkable!"

Feng Xue thought to herself, although her gaze was perfectly straight, her over-the-shoulder view had already swept across the entire banquet hall, including the dog lurking in the shadows in the corner.

"【Zhenni】? What kind of destiny is that?"

Sensing Feng Xue's confusion, Xiao Lingdang, who was now free, immediately used her search engine function and quickly came up with the answer:

"Jinni is a transliteration, roughly meaning 'elf,' but not the long-eared type found in Western fantasy novels. It refers to something more classical, a kind of natural spirit, a special kind of spirit in Arabic culture. These spirits are multifaceted but have a clear gender distinction. Jinni refers to the males in this group, who possess powerful magical abilities. In Arabic mythology and stories, they often play a role similar to a cheat code, but most are evil, though some are benevolent. The most well-known of these is the Genie. Yes, the genie from Aladdin's lamp (in fact, the English name of the Genie is also a transliteration of the Arabic word Jinni)."

"Oh, this thing!"

Put another way, and Feng Xue instantly understood. Just as he was pondering whether this town nun could grant people three wishes, the city lord suddenly burst into laughter:
"Welcome! Welcome, distinguished guests from afar!"

The voice was so abrupt, sounding full of enthusiasm, but in Feng Xue's eyes, all she saw was greed and decay—

The guy in front of me can't even be considered human anymore. If we describe him according to the system Feng Xue has learned, he's probably similar to an evil spirit in the folk world that has replaced its physical body with negative wish power.
Well, it's just that the body isn't completely dead yet.

But this city lord clearly lacked awareness of this, and he still spoke in what he thought was a heroic tone:

"I am Mutadi van Abdul, the city lord of Zelan City. It is an honor to have two such powerful individuals grace my humble city of Zelan with their presence! Please, take a seat!"

Feng Xue immediately put on an impeccable smile and cupped her hands, saying, "Lord City Lord, you are too kind! My brother and I are just passing through this blessed land. How could we possibly deserve such hospitality? We are truly flattered."

As he spoke, he naturally sat down in the chair that the servant had pulled out, his movements fluid, as if he were a regular at such occasions.

Chen Xuan followed Feng Xue's example, bowing slightly and sitting down, trying to control his expression and eyes to avoid revealing too much emotion, while inwardly remaining highly vigilant, carefully observing everyone present. Although he didn't have Feng Xue's cheating eyesight, his perception was extremely sharp, which was why he could clearly feel that goosebump-like sensation.

Especially that thing lurking in the shadows—it gave him an extremely uncomfortable feeling, even stronger than the monsters he had encountered before who claimed to be gods.

It's not a matter of strength versus weakness, but something more fundamental. Just like cockroaches and tigers, the tiger is definitely more dangerous, but if we're talking about what we hate, it has to be the cockroach.

However, after more than half a year of training, he had no idea how much his strength had improved, but he had honed his acting skills, especially his poker face. Even though the mental pressure made him want to run away, he still maintained a clear and foolish demeanor like a college student.

The banquet began, and the city lord warmly invited the two to enjoy the food. A stunningly beautiful woman personally poured wine for them, her movements elegant and her eyes captivating. The wine was fragrant, and the food delicious, but if Feng Xue hadn't given him a meaningful look, Chen Xuan wouldn't have dared to touch his chopsticks.

Fortunately, the banquet was not the main purpose. The city lord quickly pretended to be having a casual chat over drinks and said, "Judging from your demeanor, you two are no ordinary travelers. May I ask where you come from and where you are going? Although my city of Zelan is located in a remote area, it is still quite wealthy and stable. If you two intend to settle here, I will treat you with the respect due to a national hero! Wealth, status, and beautiful women... are all within your grasp."

As he spoke, he clapped his hands lightly, and immediately servants carried in several heavy treasure chests. When they opened them, they found glittering gold coins, various dazzling gems, and some antique-looking works of art.

"This is just a small gift, nothing more. Consider it a small token of my appreciation to you both."

The city lord waved his hand, his tone bold and unrestrained, and this astonishing wealth was even entangled with a kind of greedy and intoxicating desire.

Unfortunately……

Having witnessed Feng Xue's ability to turn stones into gold, Chen Xuan had lost all sense of value when it came to money.

A year ago, he would have been astonished to see a hundred-yuan bill and exclaim how much money it was. But now, looking at the gold and jewels, he was completely calm and even began to calculate how many stones Brother Feng would need to rub them together.

Even Chen Xuan wouldn't fall for it, so Feng Xue was naturally nonchalant. While distributing nanounits to have Little Bell analyze the special willpower entwined with the wealth, he casually declined:
"We appreciate your kindness, Lord City Lord. However, my brother and I are eager to travel and broaden our horizons, and we have no intention of settling down here for the time being. We are truly unworthy of these generous gifts, and we ask that you take them back."

The city lord frowned slightly, his smile fading slightly. He glanced at the town nun in the shadows before emphasizing his words:

"Traveling far and wide is certainly an elegant pursuit, but the outside world is treacherous with sandstorms and rife with bandits. How can it compare to the peace and comfort of my city, Zelan?" The city lord's tone remained enthusiastic, but carried a hint of threat.

"Moreover, there are still many bandits outside the city. If you two leave Zelan City, I'm afraid you'll be in some danger!"

(End of this chapter)